Ten years in the making, Dribble! is an A-Z of credulity-twanging facts and stories about what Pele once memorably dubbed ‘my bloody job’. It includes definitive explanations of everyday phrases such as ‘the magic of the cup’ and ‘low centre of gravity’; a complete guide to becoming a terrace character and an in-depth account of how Roy Keane’s pyjamas got him a smack on the nose . . .
It also addresses hitherto ignored aspects of the beautiful game, including its longstanding relationship with Country and Western. Johnny Cash dubbed himself ‘The Man in Black’ in homage to his idol, referee Arthur Ellis and wrote what is arguably the greatest song ever written about the life of an assistant referee - ‘I Walk the Line’.
- ‘Bitingly satirical and madly surreal, this must be the funniest book of the year . . . Monty Python meets John Motson Leo McKinstry', DAILY TELEGRAPH
- ‘Monstrously, almost unreasonably funny. This is an author with an encyclopaedic knowledge of football, with a thorough grounding in modern culture, and with a brilliant sense of humour who - rare among his peers - knows when to stop.’ Andrew Baker, SUNDAY TELEGRAPH
Paperback:
£7.99
Published 05/11/2009